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The Spring Budget , presented last week by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, has sparked interest and concern among rural communities and their advocates. The Rural Services Network (RSN) has identified areas of potential benefit for rural areas while also noting...
The Government has recently published a policy paper, which lays out the 12 Levelling Up Missions and the metrics that the Government will use to measure progress against these missions. 2 of the Missions were originally set out as exploratory...
The House of Commons Library recently published a report to inform Westminster Hall debate held on 1 February. The report highlighted that rural and coastal constituencies tend to have different types of businesses to those elsewhere. Professional, scientific and...
Last week the much-anticipated Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill received Royal Assent. The expected game of Ping-Pong between Houses never occurred and most of the government’s changes to the Lord’s amendments were accepted when the Bill returned to the Lords...
As the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill received Royal Assent last week, a raft of new measures came into force which the government says will “put local people at the heart of development”. It says the Act will: ...
The government’s Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill returned to the House of Commons last week with the Lords’ amendments. These included Lords Amendment 6, proposed by Lord Foster of Bath: “Rural proofing report: Alongside the first statement of...
As MPs prepare to review the Lords’ amendments to the Levelling Up Bill, RSN Policy Advisor Graham Biggs has been analysing what it will now mean for rural areas. This week the House of Commons will be...
Our annual conference has started with a bang this year thanks to all our fantastic speakers and delegates. Speaking after the second day, RSN Chief Executive Kerry Booth said: “So far...
The Government last week published its response to a report by the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee on its Inquiry on Funding for Levelling Up. The Inquiry looked at the funds available for levelling up and how...
The Government’s Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill was discussed again in the House of Lords last week and this time the issue of rural featured heavily. In two amendments proposed by Lord Foster of Bath, the Government was challenged to prove...
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Amid reduced public spending, fair resource allocation across regions is crucial. Despite a population larger than Greater London, rural areas receive significantly less funding for essential services, even though delivering these services in rural areas is more expensive.
Economic growth is widely acknowledged as essential for national wealth and prosperity and is a priority for political parties. Rural economies, employing millions and home to a higher proportion of small businesses, have potential for growth if barriers are removed.
Rural residents face distinct healthcare challenges, including limited access to transport, longer distances to medical facilities, an aging demographic, housing inadequacies, digital connectivity gaps, and difficulties recruiting health and care workers.
Rural communities are grappling with a severe affordable housing crisis, marked by high house prices, a lack of affordable housing, elevated living costs, and lower incomes, threatening their sustainability and vitality.
Transport is vital for the quality of life and economic health of rural areas, yet it faces challenges such as infrequent public bus services and less Government funding compared to urban regions.
Rural areas, encompassing a substantial portion of England's population and land, play a pivotal role in combating climate change and achieving the net zero target.
In an increasingly digital world, the lack of robust digital infrastructure in rural areas severely limits access to crucial services and stifles economic growth.
A future-focused vision for rural communities involves not just building the right homes in the right places but also ensuring thriving, sustainable communities.
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